The circular form of the samech symbolizes the fundamental truth
reflected at all levels of Torah and reality: "their end
is enwedged in their beginning and their beginning in their end."

This realization and awareness of inherent unity between
beginning and end, which, when comprehended in depth, implies equanimity
at all stages of "the endless cycle," is in fact the manifestation
of God's Transcendent Light (sovev kol almin), which encompasses equally
every point of reality. This ever-present Transcendent Light is referred
to as "He is equal and equalizes small and large." In our service
of God, this implies that in relation to worldly phenomena, all things
should be related to and accepted equally. This is the attribute of equanimity
as taught by the Ba'al Shem Tov, in interpretation of the verse: "I
place [shiviti, from the root shaveh, 'equal'] God before me always."

While at outer levels of consciousness one should remain
unaffected by the transient events of this world, at deeper inner levels
of consciousness, relating to Souls and Divinity, one should continuously
be in a state of aspiration to achieve higher and higher levels of clinging
to God and realizing His Will in Creation through Torah and mitzvot.

In Chassidut we are taught that the saying of the Sages:
"Who is wealthy? He who is happy with his portion" pertains
only to worldly possessions, whereas with regard to spiritual matters
we should never be satisfied with our present acquisitions but ever strive
to obtain more. Nonetheless, as our inner striving takes place within
the general context of external equanimity, it also proceeds as a circle,
a spiral, in dynamic, ever-ascending motion. Thus an inner, dynamic circle
exists within an outer, static circle. This is the secret of the phrase
in the vision of Ezekiel: "the wheel within the wheel."

As mentioned in our discussion of the letter nun, the
samech, which means "to support," is the Divine power to support
and lift up "the fallen one." One verse reads: "she has
fallen and shall not rise, the virgin of Israel." A second verse
reads: "as I have fallen, so surely shall I rise." The first
verse can be understood as referring to the service of the outer, static
circle, the attribute of true equanimity in relation to all worldly phenomena.
One can fall to the very "lowest energy level" of physical reality,
unable to raise himself, and be totally reliant on the lovingkindness
of Divine Providence to sustain him. The second verse, implying inner,
active, motivation to rise, though surely dependent upon Divine support
and aid, can be understood as referring to the service of the inner, dynamic
circle of spiritual aspiration.

As is the case for any two concentric circles, the bottom
of the outer circle descends below that of the inner circle, yet its upper
portion is higher in origin than that of the inner circle. This in itself
is the ultimate manifestation of "the end" being enwedged in
"the beginning." "The end" here refers to the service
of the outer circle itself. "The beginning" refers to the ultimate
objective of the inner circle, the revelation below, in Worlds, of God's
very Essence, latently present in the simple faith inherent in the worldly
service of equanimity.

FORM

A circle; a wedding ring.

Worlds:

The vacuum created by the initial contraction of God's Infinite Light.

The lower perspective of reality resulting from the initial contraction.

Circular rings of evolutionary and historical cycles.

The despair inherent in the "philosophy of the void."

Souls:

The impression of Divine light "left over" in the vacuum.

The tzadik - hidden foundation of the world.

The equality of all Jewish souls.

The marriage of two halves of a common soul.

Divinity:

"Their end is enwedged in their beginning and their beginning
in their end."

The Transcendent Surrounding Light.

"The Future to Come" (as opposed to "the Coming World").

The Divine presence in marriage.

The dance of the tzadikim in the World to Come.

The dance of the maidens on Tu b'Av.

NAME

To support; rely on; ordination; construct form (in grammar).

Worlds:

Supporting the fallen.

The miraculous continuation of life in the face of entropy.

Welfare: support and encouragement.

Souls:

The support of one's students.

The secret of ordination.

Signs and summaries.

Divinity:

Offering oneself to God (semichah).

The experience of being supported by God at all times.

NUMBER

Sixty.

Worlds:

Numerical symbol of an all inclusive state.

The law of nullification, 1:60.

Sleep is one-sixtieth of death; Dream is one-sixtieth of prophecy.

Fire is one-sixtieth of hell; Honey is one-sixtieth of manna.

Shabbat is one-sixtieth of the World to Come.

The quantum leap from plane to plane.

The nullification of lower dimensional spaces in higher dimensional
spaces.